I likewise renew my plea regarding the situation throughout the #MiddleEast, where the intensification of military operations has again wreaked violence and destruction, endangering the lives of countless civilians and further aggravating the shortages of drinking water and electricity. From the depths of my heart, I exhort all parties involved to suspend the attacks and urgently reopen paths of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the longed-for peace for the entire region may be achieved without delay.
I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the #HolyLand, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim. I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person. At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion.
"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." Psalm 84:11
You can’t control what people do. If they want to be offensive, rude, hard to get along with, that’s their choice. But you can control how you respond. Keep your heart pure. Save your emotional energy to live this day to the fullest, to pursue your dreams, to love your family, to be good to your neighbors.
There are people around you who will never set foot in a church. You may be the only Bible they ever read. The way you treat people, the way you respond to pressure, the way you love when it is hard — that is your testimony. Make it count.